Master’s degree studies in science of sports coaching will be available for application in the capital region in spring 2026
The opportunity to study science of sports coaching in the Helsinki capital region is new and will significantly expand educational provision in this field. The programme will place a strong emphasis on coaching children and adolescents. In addition, the programme will address the integration of children and adolescents with an immigrant background into the Finnish society through sports and physical activities.
The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences is responsible for the overall education and teaching in Jyväskylä, which amounts to about two to three days per month. The joint RDI unit of the Sports Institute of Three Campuses and Urhea is responsible for the remaining teaching arrangements at the Urhea campus in Mäkelänrinne.
The two-year programme will have an annual intake of 12 students and is scheduled to be implemented from 2026 - 2031. Applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree. Graduates will receive a Master of Sport Sciences degree.
The education is funded by the University of Jyväskylä, the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo, Urheiluopistosäätiö and the Kisakallio Foundation, as well as the Sports Institute of Three Campuses and Urhea.
“Through collaboration, we will enhance science-based expertise in coaching activities and promote high-quality coaching, from children and adolescents up to elite athletes,” says Vesa Linnamo, Dean of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä.
For Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo, promoting a physically active lifestyle and preventing segregation are important development priorities.
“Developing sports coaching and a physically active lifestyle for children and adolescents is important to us. The knowledge and competencies gained through education can also contribute to the prevention of segregation in schools,” says Harri Korhonen, Director of Upper Secondary Education, Vocational Education and Liberal Adult Education at the City of Helsinki.
Petri Tarkkanen, CEO of the Sports Institute of Three Campuses, emphasises the importance of incorporating academic expertise into daily sporting life:
“Bringing the master’s degree programme in sports coaching science to the capital region with our partners is a natural progression of our efforts to establish sports institute activities in the heart of Helsinki.”
Simo Tarvonen, CEO of Urhea, views the degree programme as a significant milestone for Finnish sports:
“Pursuing academic studies in an environment where athletes from different sports train under the supervision of top-class coaches will make learning more interesting and enrich the study content. The study programme will also be attractive internationally.”
Application instructions
- Application period: 10–24 March 2026 (second round of the spring joint application)
- Master’s degree programme in science of sports coaching, Master of Sport Sciences (2 years): Valmennustieteen maisteriohjelma, liikuntatieteiden maisteri (2 v), syksy 2026 - Opintopolku
- The language of instruction of the programme is Finnish.
The Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä is the only university-level unit in Finland dedicated to sport education. It provides a wide range of studies in sport and health sciences. The faculty is internationally renowned and is ranked among the top 25 in the Shanghai Ranking, one of the most highly regarded comparisons of science universities worldwide. The list includes 300 universities with sport-related units from all over the world.
Further information:
Vesa Linnamo, Dean
University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences
vesa.linnamo@jyu.fi, +358 40 504 4800
